Sienna19

The speed limit on a path (MUP?) that I enjoy has recently been reduced to 10mph. This was the cities response to a very unfortunate cyclist / pedestrianaccident resulting in the loss of the pedestrians life. I have been guilty of traveling on that path at unsafe speeds due to the walkers, pets, kids, etc and I am now very responsible with my speed. That said, it is still a perfect route to avoid vehicle danger. My question is this...

What can I do to get in a good workout and still stay under the 10mph limit?

A few thoughts have come to mind.

1. PARACHUTE !! Like a top fuel dragster
2. Boat anchor or some similar dragged item
3. Tar in the axle bearings
4. Flatten the tires
5. Giant sail on the front
6. Ten Gallon Helmet - Howdy Ma'am.
7. Brakes on - "snif, snif...what's that burning smell?"
8. Bell Bottom Tights

Please add more ideas. Pics would help.

Derrick

Butcher

Move out of Renton, buy a trailer [fill it with bricks], and use the road.

billh92109

no hills anywhere?

buy a taxi cart bike and make money towing people around. I always thought that would be an awesome job - exercise all day and get paid for it...

Sienna19

I like the taxi idea.
And Renton is not very bike friendly. I work in Auburn and would love to bike commute through Kent. Sadly, work does not make this possible.

Speedskater

Ten MPH sounds like a good speed for running.

Kotts

Actually, they do make parachutes for this purpose...

Ride into the wind with a 'chute, and you may get a good workout at 5 MPH (groundspeed).

jasonball

just spin it

djb

he means of course, spin your bike above your head whilst jogging along the path, great arm workout to boot.

If that is not enough, put on some panniers and do your grocery shopping.

Carbonfiberboy 

There are more bike accidents on bike paths than on the road, however the severity of road accidents is greater. I never ride on an MUP if I can help it, at any speed. Much too dangerous. I always use the road. The more of us who ride on the road, the safer it gets. One does have to know how to do it, however. I believe Cascade has classes.

www.cascade.org

Join if you haven't already. At least go on some of their free group rides.

Pat

Well if no one is around and you have clear sight of the path ahead, there is no speed limit. But with pedestrians, it is dicey to go very fast. I would say that 10 mph is a bit restrictive. But sometimes even 10 mph is too fast. Pedestrians seem to enjoy holding conferences in the middle of the bike paths along here so anything faster than say .5 mph risks a collision.

Richard Cranium

Well you must be some kind of goof. Real cyclists do not work out bike paths - multi-user or not.

Go away.

djb

how rude to call him a goof, so very "internet forumy" of you.

now, if he was wearing bell bottoms, a Stetson, pulling a boat anchor and with a front jig set up on his handlebars, why then you could call him a goof.
;-)
I liked the tar in the axle bearings, but why not just use lots of honey or molasses, then when you started to bonk, you could just spoon off the excess.

ericm979

Congratulations! You have graduated from MUPs (or been graduated). Now go ride on the road.

djb

I have to tell this story, here in this part of Canada each winter there is a cross-country skiing event each february called The Canadian Ski Marathon. Ive participated in it a bunch of years, and would see the real serious folks training pre-snow, and when we have snow, with their big heavy backpacks on while skiing.
One fall a few years ago, while biking along a bike path, a guy that I knew had done the marathon in the past, was going along the bike path on foot, with ski poles, pulling a small car or trailer tire attached to him by webbing straps about 6 feet behind him.
Not making it up, but boy it looked weird, and made a dreadful noise. I guess it was his way of working on his pole-ing arm muscles....

so the boat anchor idea is not completely out there in left field...

slowandsteady

Flat tires works well. Or get married, have two kids, and pull them along in a trailer.

Sienna19

Maybe a bit of a goof, hence the ridiculous suggestions but my question was more hypothetical and also somewhat serious. I can do the 20+ MPH in traffic but why? THe path happens to be a good route to get me where I need to go. I have no time limit. I have big hills on either end that raise my pulse. What can be done with the middle part on the path to make the trip both entertaining and require effort? at sub 10mph.

Sienna19

I like that one !!

DannoXYZ 

Just count the number of interactions per hour where you have to take evasive maneuvers on the MUP versus riding on the road. I can ride for hours on the road without having to change my course due to cars cutting in front of me or people opening doors. On the MUP, I have to swerve 20-30 times in just a 10-minute ride. Every single one of those events can result in an injury or death. It's the same as punk kids who continually swerve in and out of traffic trying to squeeze out an extra 3-4mph. Every single time they change lanes, it's increases the probability of moving into someone.

You can get one or two of these:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BqTCLpypiS.../s1600/011.JPG